■95
THE 61ST NEW YORK REGIMENT IN CAMP AT SHIP POINT, BELOW YORKTOWX.
[SEE MAP, P. 188.] FROM A WAR-TIME SKETCH.
Kershaw and Semmes, of Magruder’s command, occupied the works whenStoneman came in front of them, and, on finding his advance stubbornlyopposed, Stoneman sent his cavalry upon reconnoissances over the field, andwaited for the infantry under Hooker and Smith to come to his support. Thesedivisions marched from Yorktown on parallel roads until Smith’s column washalted by a burning bridge, and compelled to turn into the road by whichHooker was advancing. Sumner accompanied Smith’s column, and, immedi-ately on the arrival before Williamsburg , formed the brigades of Hancock audBrooks for an advance through a piece of woods which screened the Confed-erate rifle-pits. The result is given in Sumner’s official report as follows:
“ After entering the woods I found the underbrush much thicker than I expected, andthe lines became entangled, and shortly afterward it became so dark it was impossible toadvance, and I ordered the troops to halt and lie on their arms.”
General Hooker was delayed on the road so long that he did not reach thefield until early on the morning of May 5tli, when he found himself on theleft of Smith’s division, and in front of Fort Magruder. The position of theUnion troops then was: Smith on the right, and Hooker on the left, confront-ing the enemy’s works, the latter having the heaviest obstacle before him, andthe divisions of Kearny, Casey, and Couch struggling on toward the front,over crowded, muddy roads. General Sumner says in his report:
“ I bad a careful reconnoissance made on the left of the enemy’s works, on the morning ofthe 5th, and found two of their forts unoccupied. I immediately ordered General Hancock toadvance with a brigade and ten pieces of artillery, and hold those works, it being my intentionto force their left.”
This was about 11 a. m. Meantime, at 7:30 a. m., General Hooker, on hisown responsibility, had advanced his lines. In his official report he says :
“ Being in pursuit of a retreating army, I deemed it my duty to lose no time in making thedisposition to attack, regardless of their number and position, except to accomplish the resultwith the least possible sacrifice of life.”
Hooker sent forward Grover’s brigade, and Bramhall’s and Webber’s bat-teries, and very soon all opposition on his front was silenced for a time.